A Cure?
by Illora Rane
Summary: What happens when Ranma gets it into his head that he can't live with his curse anymore and does whatever necessary to get rid of it? The next chapter is on the way. Check my review section.
1. Default Chapter

A Cure.At Last?  
  
Chapter one: Frustration  
  
Hey there! Here I will put the usual disclaimer. Most of the characters in this fanfic belong to the one who created Ranma ½, whose name I can't remember. But they don't belong to me. Anyway, read, enjoy and write back!  
  
"That's it, I just can't handle this curse!!!"  
  
"Hello, to you too, Ranma." Akane grinned at the soaking wet girl / boy. "Have a bad day?"  
  
Ranma sighed with frustration and continued on her way to the kitchen. Setting the kettle to boil, she grabbed a soda and flopped down on the couch. "Those idiots." She muttered. "Consider yourself lucky that you were home sick today, Akane. Every male in the school seemed to be extra crazy and I seemed to be more attracted to water than usual, if you know what I mean. I've changed in and out of my cursed form at least a dozen times."  
  
Ranma smiled, stood and headed back to the kitchen at the sound of the kettle. Pouring the entire contents over her head, she quickly changed back to her normal form. "Ah, much better."  
  
"I thought you were getting more used to being a girl." Akane said with a grin. "You're usually female when we spar."  
  
"That's different." Ranma sighed. My female form is lighter, easier to maneuver. But I would gladly give that up to be rid of this curse."  
  
"Why don't you just go back to Jusenkyo? Change your form back there?"  
  
"Two reasons. A, I don't want to ever be in China again. B, it probably wouldn't work anyway. Knowing my luck, I'd probably wind up with a double curse."  
  
Akane laughed. "Yeah, probably. So, what do you intend to do?"  
  
"Look for a solution here in Japan. I can not, will not live the rest of my life with this curse."  
  
With that said, he turned and stormed out of the kitchen. Akane sighed and headed upstairs.  
  
Later that night, Ranma found himself pacing the roof flipping through a phone book.  
  
"There has got to be someone in here who can get rid of my other half." Slowly, he scanned the rows of names until his eyes landed on Shampoo's name. He pondered it.  
  
"No, no, I have to be insane." The boy folded his arms over his chest and resumed pacing the roof. "She wouldn't know. Even if she did, she wouldn't tell me. I can't go see her. No one should have to endure that.amazon.for any amount of time. I have to find a cure on my own."  
  
"Akane, where's Ranma? Isn't he usually home by now?" Nabiki said as she wandered down the stairs.  
  
"He's home, Nabiki." Akane said without raising her eyes from her book. "He's pacing the roof."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he's gotten it into his head that he's not going to live with his curse anymore. He's absolutely determined to find a cure."  
  
A slow grin spread over Nabiki's face. "Where is my camera? This is going to be fun!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning Ranma slipped out of the house early and decided to go for a walk downtown, hoping to find anyone who knew how to cure a curse. He wandered into every magic store and looked for a person who could help him. Then, just as the sun was going down, he came across an old bookstore that he'd never noticed before. The place was full of old bookshelves, and hundreds of books, mostly about magic. And sitting at the counter was an old man dressed in simple black robes.  
  
"Welcome, young man." The man said with a smile as Ranma walked in. "To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"  
  
"Hello." Ranma smiled back. "I'm just looking around."  
  
"Alright." The man said. "My name is Odin, please feel free to ask me anything."  
  
"Thank you." Ranma turned and began to wander through the store. He found several shelves full of old, leather-bound spell books. The place looked like no one had been there in years.  
  
"Find anything of interest to you, young man?" Odin called from the front of the store.  
  
"You have lots of magic books." Ranma called back.  
  
"Yes, I do." Odin said. "I've been a bit of a sorcerer all of my life."  
  
"Really?" Ranma headed back to the desk that Odin sat at. "Have you ever heard of the cursed springs of Jusenkyo?"  
  
"Yes!" Odin grinned. "I've been studying them for years. I must have been to China a thousand times in my life."  
  
"Have you ever come in contact with one?"  
  
"Nope." Odin said, still smiling. "I've managed to avoid getting wet. I've always found the springs fascinating. Have you ever seen them?"  
  
Ranma sighed. "Sadly, yes. I came in contact with one last year. I'm cursed."  
  
"Oh." The smile left the old man's face. "What do you turn into?"  
  
"A girl."  
  
Odin laughed. "Really? My, my, young man, how confusing your life must be!"  
  
"You have no idea." Ranma sighed again. "I have actually been wandering all over town today looking for someone who might know how to cure my curse. I just can't live with it anymore."  
  
An odd look drifted over Odin's face. "I might be able to help you."  
  
"Really!?!" Ranma's face lit up and he bounced over to the counter. "Are you serious?"  
  
"I think so." Odin headed over one of the bookshelves. "Just give me a minute."  
  
Ranma was almost bouncing in his chair at the thought of being rid of his curse. This was the closest he'd gotten all day.  
  
"Yes, here it is!" Odin came back to the desk, an old, black and silver book in his hands. " 'How to cure a Jusenkyo curse'"  
  
"Really?" Ranma was almost in tears.  
  
"Yes." Odin suddenly looked very serious. "I warn you though, there will be side effects."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"First of all," Odin answered, "you will not remember that you were ever cursed. And anyone that has ever seen your cursed form will not remember it."  
  
The end of chapter one. Don't worry, those of you who enjoyed this, more chapters are on the way. Leave me a review please!!! 


	2. A decision

Chapter Two: A decision.  
  
Insert usual disclaimer here ____________________________ (  
Ranma simply sat in his chair, staring at the book that could make all his dreams come true. But a lot of his life revolved around his curse. This would change the way he dealt with everyone he knew. He wasn't sure what to do.  
  
"I don't know what to do." Ranma said softly. "This would totally change my life."  
  
"Well, you don't have to decide now." Odin closed the book and placed it on the counter beside him. "Take some time. Go home, discuss it with your family and come back within a few days to tell me what you have decided."  
  
"Alright." Ranma slowly stood and began to wander towards the door.  
  
"What's your name, young man?" Odin asked.  
  
"Ranma. I'm Saotome Ranma of the Saotome school of Anything Goes Martial Arts."  
  
"Ah, a martial artist." Odin smiled. "Well, I look forward to seeing you soon, Ranma."  
  
"What would this cost me? I'm just curious."  
  
"Nothing, young man. I'd be happy to help you."  
  
"Thank you again." Ranma bowed slightly and closed the store door behind him.  
  
Ranma wandered home slowly, thinking about what he'd found out. Getting rid of his curse would solve several problems, but create others. What would happen to his relationship with Akane? Everyone, for that matter?  
  
By the time he arrived home, Kasumi was just putting dinner on the table. "Just in time, Ranma!" She said as she put the last dish on the table. "Go wash up for dinner."  
  
Ranma nodded and headed upstairs slowly. Akane exchanged a worried glance with Nabiki, and then followed him upstairs.  
  
"Ranma?" Akane knocked on the bathroom door softly. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'll be down in a minute, Akane." He answered.  
  
"I didn't ask when you were coming down, I asked if you were alright."  
  
"I got some odd information today." Ranma opened the door slowly. "I'll tell everyone at dinner. I'm just trying to absorb it now."  
  
"Is anything wrong?" Akane gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "I've never seen you like this."  
  
"It's ok, Akane." He smiled. "Just give me a minute."  
  
"Ok." She smiled at him then headed back downstairs.  
  
"Is Ranma alright?" Kasumi asked. "He didn't look like himself."  
  
"He says he has odd news to tell us." Akane answered. "He'll be down in a minute."  
  
That dinner was the quietest one ever held at the Tendo Dojo. Ranma didn't say a word throughout the whole meal. He just stared down at his plate and ate slowly. Finally, after Kasumi had cleared the table and come back to sit down, Ranma stood and faced the group.  
  
"I have something to tell you all." He said with a straight face.  
  
"Well, come on Ranma." Soun said with a smile. "You can tell us."  
  
"Ok." Ranma took a deep breath. "Today, I went out to find someone who could cure my curse. And, I met a man who has been studying the cursed springs for a long time. He thinks he can cure me."  
  
No one made a sound. Then a large grin spread over Soun's face. "Well, Ranma, that's wonderful! Isn't it?"  
  
"Normally, yes. But one odd side effect is that I will not remember that I was ever cursed. And, none of you will remember my cursed form."  
  
The whole group stared at him.  
  
"I think you should do it." Akane said with a shy smile. "You'd never have to deal with becoming a girl again. And you probably wouldn't have Shampoo trying to kill you, or your father calling you a weak little girl half the time. Think of what it would do to your life?"  
  
"I don't know, Akane." Ranma sat down with a sigh. "I really don't know what to do. My curse has changed my life. Not having it would really change my life again. Nabiki, you wouldn't have the business that you get from stealing pictures of my girl form. Kuno wouldn't be chasing me. I think that might be a reason to do this by itself."  
  
Nabiki laughed. "Yeah. Even though I would miss all that, I guess we'd never have known it, right?"  
  
"Yeah. You wouldn't know that I was ever cursed."  
  
The group fell silent again, thinking.  
  
"Well, if no one has any more thoughts, I'm going to go sleep on it." Ranma said  
  
"Alright, Ranma." Soun said and rested a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "You do that and we'll talk about it more in the morning. Maybe your father will be back by then."  
  
"I doubt it." Ranma turned towards the stairs. "He said he'd be gone for at least a week. It's only been 3 days. Oh, by the way everyone, don't tell my father about this. If I choose to do this, I don't want him to know. He'll just suck all the fun out of it."  
  
"As you wish. Night, Ranma."  
  
Upstairs, Ranma didn't sleep for several hours. He sat in his window thinking, weighing all the advantages and disadvantages until the wee hours of the morning. Finally, at around 2 am, he fell asleep thinking about what his relationship with Akane would be like if she didn't think of him as a pervert.  
  
The next morning was the first one in a long time where Ranma slept through breakfast. It was well past 10 am when he finally woke up.  
  
Slowly, Ranma opened his eyes and scanned the room. It was bright. Too bright. Also, he did not smell breakfast. He tossed back his covers and made his way downstairs.  
  
"Good afternoon, Ranma." Akane said with a smile. "I didn't think you were planing on getting up today."  
  
"What time is it?" Ranma yawned and raked a hand through his hair. "And why is there no breakfast?"  
  
"It's 10 in the morning, Ranma." Akane put down her book and grinned at him. "This is the first time that you've ever slept through a meal. Late night?"  
  
"I slept through food?" Ranma sighed. "Weird. I was up for a long time, thinking."  
  
"Come to a conclusion yet?" Kasumi said as she put a plate of food in front of him.  
  
"I think so." Ranma said as he began to shovel the food into his mouth. "I think I want to do it."  
  
The girls stared at him. "Are you sure?" Akane asked.  
  
"Yes." Ranma pushed the empty plate away. "I'm going to go see Odin, the man I talked to yesterday, this afternoon. We'll see what he can do. Now, I'm going to go say goodbye to Ranma-chan."  
  
Ranma headed upstairs and into the bathroom. Hopefully for the last time in his life, he took a bucket of cold water and dumped it over his head.  
  
Staring at the mirror, Ranma watched himself shrink in height by almost a foot, his hair turn from jet black to fire engine red, and several other body parts change shape. Staring back at him was a girl that everyone around him considered gorgeous. This form got him almost anything he wanted, and had also taught him most of what he knew about girls. He had spent a lot of time in it on the road, and it was one thing about him that his father really hated. That he kind of liked.  
  
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." He whispered at the mirror. Then, with a smile, he dumped a bucket of warm water over his head and jumped in the shower.  
  
An hour later Ranma came downstairs, fresh from his shower and looking happier than Akane had seen him in a long time.  
  
"Ready to do this, Ranma?" She asked with a smile.  
  
"Yep." He grinned. "I'm going to have something to eat, then go see Odin."  
  
"About this guy, Ranma." The smile left Akane's face. "Do you really think that he can help you?"  
  
"Yes." He answered. "He seems.genuine. He really seems like a nice guy. He isn't even going to charge me for this."  
  
"Cool." Akane smiled softly. "I hope it works, for everyone's sake."  
  
He nodded, smiled and left the room.  
  
Half an hour later Ranma found himself almost skipping down the street towards Odin's bookstore. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath and pushed it open.  
  
The bell above the door chimed as Ranma peered inside. Odin wasn't sitting at the front desk. Slowly, Ranma crept in and waited.  
  
"Ow, stupid book." He heard from the back of the store.  
  
"You all right back there?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." Odin answered. He came shuffling out from the back room, one hand to his head and a look of frustration on his face.  
  
"What happened?" Ranma smiled at him.  
  
"Stupid spell book literally has a mind of it's own." Odin said with a grin. "It won't stay on the shelf. I finally had to bury it at the bottom of a box."  
  
Ranma laughed. "Well, I guess that's what happens when you own possessed books."  
  
"Yeah." Odin stopped and stared at Ranma for a minute. "Wait. You were here yesterday, weren't you?"  
  
"Yes, I'm Ranma Saotome. You thought that you could cure my curse."  
  
"Yes, Ranma!" Odin smiled and sat down at his desk. "Have you made a decision?"  
  
"Yes." Ranma took a deep breath. "I want to go through with it."  
  
"Wonderful!" Odin reached for the book that he had shown Ranma the day before. "Do you want to get started now?"  
  
"Yes." Ranma answered.  
  
"Nervous?" Odin smiled at the boy.  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
Odin laughed. "Well, don't worry about a thing. I've done this many times. Why just last week, I cured a girl who turned into a cat. She really wanted to be rid of her curse and the procedure went fine. Now, if you'll follow me."  
  
Odin turned and headed down the hall to a large, comfortable-looking room. Gently touching a couch with one hand, he said, "Please sit here."  
  
Nervously, Ranma sat down. "Now what?"  
  
Odin sat down across from him and opened the spell book. "Now, I'm going to do my thing. You will fall asleep and hopefully wake up minus one curse. You know that you won't remember it, right?"  
  
"Yes, I know." Ranma smiled. "I'm kind of excited to see how my life turns out."  
  
"Alright." Odin smiled back. "Let's begin."  
  
End Chapter Two  
  
More to come, for those of you who like this, don't worry. Chapter 3 is on it's way, as soon as I can write it. ( 


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